Hogwartz: Year One: The Dragon's Talon
by Ookami2
Summary: New Students Arrive at Hogwartz. The original casts are now the faculty members.
1. Default Chapter

_Hi Everybody,_

_       I while ago, I can't remember how long, I wrote this story in the "Harry Potter Author Section."  I got pretty far in to the fanfic and was writing a series of stories.  Then school started getting harder so I had to start.  I ended up stopping for a long period of time.  When I came back Fanfiction.net had been upgraded and the "Harry Potter Author Section was deleted.  This wasn't a real problem until I discovered that I no longer had my backup file of the first story.  So I am rewriting it from scratch using only my memories of the original story and my back up files of the other the second and third story.  Anyway this is my revised copy I hope you enjoy, and please read and review for me thank you._

_Ookami_

CHAPTER 1

THE VEELA BOY

         Keith Smiths woke with the sunlight streaming into his eyes from his open window.  He opened to see a small red robin on his windowsill looking at him with great interest.  Every morning some sort of bird was sitting on his windowsill waiting to greet him.  It was actually rather nice to have such a pleasant welcome every morning.  He smiled and sat up.  Keith stretched his arms and got out of bed to look at himself in the mirror on the other side of his room.  He was eleven years old that day, a dark skinned boy with short black hair and deep puppy dog brown eyes.  He was skinny but he didn't look frail, that w2as impossible, his mother never forgot to feed him at least a dozen times a day.  It was a wonder he wasn't fat. 

          He went to the bathroom, showered, got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast.  His mother and father were both already downstairs waiting for him at the table.  His father, helping set the table while his mother put his breakfast on a plate.  His mother was a beautiful woman with a youthful face long black hair and deep blue eyes.  His father was a handsome but portly man with short cut hair and very kind smile.  

         "You woke up," his mom said with her beautifully kind voice, "I didn't call you.  Maybe you're actually growing up."  He smirked at the comment and then sat down as she lay his breakfast in front of him.  "Now are you sure you want to go through with this," she asked him for the hundredth time in the last three days, "I understand if your nervous."

          Keith was going to be performing at his schools talent show that night.  He had grown very good at playing the ocarina and decided he had enough talent with it to risk playing a song in front of his classmates.  After all it was the last time he would be at that school.  Strangely his mother seemed a hundred times more nervous than he ever felt.  His dad was eager for him to do it.  He felt this might help get Keith to be more confident around girls; he was actually fairly girl shy.  He was actually hoping this might change that too.

          Keith spent the day walking around his neighborhood, trying to keep himself busy so that he wouldn't get too nervous.  His mother didn't help matters by walking around constantly asking him "Are you sure you want to do this?"  His Aunt Shari and her husband were supposed to show up later but till then he simply walked around.  As he leaned against the light pole on the corner he stopped and noticed that every single animal on the block: the birds in the trees, the dogs and cats in yards and houses, and even a few cats and dogs in passing cars all looked at him seemingly intent on him.  As he walked around it got the distinct impression that the animals were all following him.  He eventually got a little self-conscious and jogged home the sound a meowing cats and barking dogs following him home.

          His Aunt Shari was at the house when he got there.  She was an exact duplicate of Keith's mother except for her short cut brown hair.  She was also different in personality.  Keith's mother was very motherly and passive in her mannerism though very strong.  Aunt Shari was different; she had the eager energy that most of the teen girls Keith knew couldn't compare to.  She was so much like a child Keith felt like she was more like a sister.  She usually greeted him with a very loving and affectionate hug and then embarrassed him by asking him about what girls he had a crush on.  Today however, she was very subdued and when Keith came in she greeted him with a very small and motherly hug.  She was happy to see him but seemed just as concerned as his mother was about the upcoming performance.

          "Are you nervous," she said rather imploringly, "we all understand if you don't want to go through with this.  Its perfectly all right."  Keith had to assure her several times that he was all right before she finally gave up and, like his mother, simply sat in the corner looking worried.  Right before they all left for the school, his mother and aunt ran up stairs and came back down with something tucked in their pockets.  "Cameras."  His aunt said and they were off.

         The school auditorium was very full by the time they arrived, and the audience was already piled into their seats.  It seemed like everyone here was a girl from his class or the mother of one of the performers.  None of the boys of fathers were apparently interested in watching the soon to be gone students perform.  Keith shrugged and tried to shake away the nervous feeling inside him as he twirled his little ocarina around in his hands.  He didn't hear or think about any of the other performers and when he heard his named called he walked out onto stage feeling like he knees had turned to jelly.  He looked out over the crowd.  His parents, aunt, and uncle were all in the center of the audience.  His father and uncle looked happy but his mother and aunt were biting their lips and had their fist clenched over something in the laps that looked a lot like sticks.  Shaking it off Keith walked over to the small stool that had been set for him in front of a microphone.  Taking his seat Keith slowly placed the ocarina to his lips and taking in a shuddering breath began to play.

          The music escaped the ocarina in a slow peaceful whistle that rippled and echoed throughout the room.  As with anytime he played, Keith felt a great piece spread over him as he played, letting all his fears and worries fade away in the music.  He let the music ripple through him as it seemed to do the crowd, he could hear people sighing a sort of peaceful calm and then he blocked out all sound.

         Then, quite suddenly, he was tackled to the ground.  His ocarina flew out of his hands and he opened his eyes to see one of the girls from his class pinning him to the ground.  She began kissing him all over and suddenly another girl was tackling him.  Soon every woman in the audience young and old, with the exception of his aunt and mother were pinning him and tearing his clothing.  He was pinned and the girls on his chest were making it very hard to breath.  Every time they shoved him back down his head slammed into the stage floor.  He was feeling light headed and they weren't helping.  He vision was growing cloudy and then, just as he was blacking out, he saw the women on top of him start flying around as though being tossed by some unseen force.  He saw his mother and aunt run up to him, each brandishing sticks.  Sticks?  Before he could wonder about any of it all, he passed out on the floor.  

          When Keith came too he was lying in his bedroom, his ocarina lay at his side, but it had been smashed by one of the woman who pounced on him.  He got up slowly and felt a great rush of dizziness flow to the top of his head.  Slowly he walked downstairs hearing his uncle shouting.  He moved closer the living room just in time to see his uncle rush out of the house screaming.  "I CAN'T BELIEVE, I MARRIED A...A..." he slammed the door and he was gone.  Keith walked into the room to see his Aunt looking heartbroken, his mother looking comforting, and his father looking completely dazed and in shock.  He staggered into the room and his mother saw him.  

          "Keith." She said and his aunt turned to him, her heartbroken expression replaced by a very serious one that wasn't typical of her.  "Are you feeling all right sweetie."  His mother asked coming up and feeling at his forehead. 

          "I think so," he said staggering slightly.  His mother sat him on the couch and he looked again at his father, who seemed to be frozen in a look of shock.  

          "We need to explain to you what happened today."  Aunt Shari said as she sat next to him, her heartbroken expression mixing with her serious one.  "You see Keith...what happened, well... oh the hell with it."  She turned and looked him dead in the eyes.  "Keith you're a wizard."    

          Keith gaped at her, if not for the pure seriousness in her eyes, he would've thought she was telling him a very odd joke.  His mother came and sat on the other side of him.  She tried to look comforting but didn't quite do it as well as she usually did.  "You also a Veela Keith."

          "A what?"  He asked.

         "A Veela," she said again, "you have the magical ability to entice people of the opposite sex.  You see your aunt Shari and I are witches and Veela and you have inherited that from me.  I didn't worry about it at first because, it's very...well it's very odd for a male to have Veela abilities.  Most Veela are female, but you see you have, well the reason that those women attacked you is because you are able to entice women through your music.  We thought we had sensed it when you started learning to play but we had hoped it was just our imagination."

          Keith said nothing, he couldn't think of anything to say.  That was a lot of information to take in so quickly.  A wizard?  A Veela?  Was this why animals were always following him?  Why he felt such a strange energy whenever he played his ocarina?  As he thought on these things he heard something clicking at the window behind him.  As he turned to look he saw a large barn owl clicking its beak against the window.  His mother and aunt looked in surprise and opened the window.  The barn owl swooped in a dropper a letter onto Keith's lap; it then swooped around and flew back out the window.  Keith looked at the letter that seemed to be written in green ink.  His mother's eyes lit up as she looked at it.

          "This is amazing," she said then she looked to his Aunt Shari, "on the very same day he finds out."  Keith picked up the letter and opened it.  It was fairly small and written in beautiful green ink.

_Dear Mr. Smiths,_

_          We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwartz School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  Term begins on September 1st please send you response no later than July 11th.  Enclosed is a list of school supplies and books that will be necessary.  We look forward to seeing you in the fall._

_                                Hermoine Granger Head Mistress_

Keith gave the letter to his mother and aunt, whose worries and seriousness were now suddenly replaced by a sudden girl like happiness.  "He got into Hogwartz!" they were screaming to each other as they hugged him.  His father was finally coming out of his stupor and join Keith in asking them exactly what going to Hogwartz meant.  His mother and Aunt went on to explain that Hogwartz was the best and most elite school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  It was thought by some of the most legendary wizards.  Keith looked at the letter in disbelief.  A school for witches and wizards?        


	2. Diagon Alley

CHAPTER 2

DIAGON ALLEY

          After sending is response to Hogwartz, Keith spent the next few days trying to repair his ocarina.  It didn't seem possible; all of those girls had crushed it beyond repair.  He knew it was hopeless but he couldn't do anything else, the girls from the talent show were still obsessed with him and following him around whenever he went outside.  His mother and Aunt assured him that they had wiped everyones' memories of the previous night away but that didn't seem to erase the effect his abilities had on them.  He stayed in his room, hoping that his mother was right when she said that his powers would become subtler soon.  

          His father had come out of his shock and taken the news of his wife being a witch better than anyone could've expected.  He was so interested and curious in how the Wizarding world worked that Keith's mom had ordered a subscription of a Wizard Newspaper called the "Daily Prophet."  Now that his father was always asking her about her real upbringing and wanting to know about her world, Keith's mother looked happier than she had ever been.

          Keith's Aunt Shari hadn't been near as lucky.  Keith's uncle was demanding a divorce and he wasted no time telling a judge that his wife was a witch.  Thankfully Aunt Shari was able to wipe both the judge's memory and the memory of her former husband once the divorce was final.  She seemed very distant for a while and not at all her usual self.  Then one morning she showed up with the same eager smile on her face that Keith had missed so much.  "Let's go."  She said to him eagerly.

          "Go Where?" he asked as he threw on his jacket.  

          "We're going to get your school supplies," she said, "I haven't been to Daigon Alley in so long."  So waving good-bye to his mother, Keith and his Aunt Shari took a cab to the subway station and rode to London.  Once there she led him through a strip mall of bookstores, music stores, and other large flashy shops until she stopped suddenly seeming to stare at a wall next to a bookstore.  At first he couldn't see what she was looking at, then he noticed that the wall had a door in it and an incredibly faded sign over it that looked like it said "Leaky Cauldron."  

          The inside of the Leaky Cauldron was very old and seemed like it had been around for centuries.  There was a dense haze of smoke in the air from numerous pipes being smoked.  The people inside all wore long robes of various colors with strange pointed hats.  They all glanced over at Keith and Aunt Shari.  Shari smiled at them all and Keith felt sudden warmth spread throughout the room.  Suddenly, every man in the pub got up and walked over to her.

          "How are you my dear?" Said an old man with a long black beard.

          "A pleasure to meet you."

          "Is this your brother, he couldn't possibly be your son."

          Keith glanced at his Aunt Shari for a moment and realized the warmth was coming from her.  Was this what happened when a Veela used their abilities?  Shari glanced at Keith out of the corner of her eye and smiled at him, she seemed to be enjoying the attention.  She listened to the seemingly endless slew of compliments for a while, acting very embarrassed and then led Keith to a door at the back of the pub.  In the back of the pub was a very small area with a few crates and barrels against a very large brick wall.  Shari walked up to the wall, pulled her wand out from her back pocket and tapped the third brick from the right.  

          "You'll love this."  She said as she stepped away from the wall.  The wall began to shake and then to Keith's amazement the bricks began to shift around creating an opening in the center that kept get larger and larger until it had formed a doorway.  Keith's jaw dropped, but not from the creation of the doorway.  He was shocked at what the doorway led too.  Behind the newly formed door was a walkway that led through an amazing street of shops.  People of all ages, shapes, and sizes were walking through the street.  As his Aunt led him through the street he looked into every window he could.  He saw flying broomsticks, floating books, and strange looking owls.  He watched as one girl about the same age as him waved around a wand in her hand and sending blue sparks of light into the air.  Keith was trying to look into a shop called "Quality Quidditch Supplies" when his Aunt grabbed him and led him toward a large white building in the distance called "Gringotts."

          "Aunt Shari, what is this place?"  He asked as he passed a store called "Flourish and Blotts."  

          "This is Diagon Alley." She said, "and that building we're heading to right now is Gringotts the Wizard Bank.  Your Mom and me left a little bit of gold here before we got married.  Its should have collected enough interest for you to get your supplies."  The inside of the bank was enormous but full of people.  Keith could see people trading in their money for gold and silver.  The creatures behind each counter though, were short but very dangerous looking.  They had long noses, sharp teeth, and very long fingers.  

          "Um...Aunt Shari, what ware these things?"  He asked staying close to his Aunt.

          "Goblins.  Very dangerous and not very friendly so stay close okay."  Keith nodded as Shari led them to a counter at the back of the room.  One very short, very mean, and very old looking Goblin leered down at them from a high table.  Aunt Shari pulled a very old looking gold key and held it up to him.  "My name is Shari DeLacoure and I would like to make a withdrawal."  

          The goblin plucked the key out of her hand and within five minutes they were being led down a very large sort of mine toward a large door with the number "1025" on it.  The goblin walked up to it and used Aunt Shari's key to open the door.  As the door opened Keith and his Aunt Shari both looked amazed at the incredible amount of gold that greeted them.  It reached to the ceiling of the large room and seemed to be nothing but gold; none of the silver and bronze that Keith had seen the wizards in the streets spending.  He glanced over at his Aunt.

          "A 'little' gold?"  He asked as he walked in and began packing some of the gold into a bag.

          "Well," she said looking as amazed as Keith, "either your mother has been depositing behind my back or, it's gained a LOT of interest over the last eleven years."  

          With some gold in his pocket, Keith and his Aunt Shari began shopping for his supplies.  They went to Flourish and Blotts first, and began buying all of his required books.  It was when Keith was looking at a copy of "Transfiguration Level 1 by Minerva Macgonigal." That he saw a small pen for animals.  Keith looked in to see several large green books scuttling around in the pen like crabs.  He leaned in closer to see that the cover of the books all said "The Monster Book of Monsters."  He was leaning into the chest so far that one of the books leapt up and tried to snap itself shut on his nose.  He pulled back quickly and watched then scuttle around.  He was about to turn away when he noticed a very worn version of the monster book in the corner of the pen.  He watched it for a while, its cover was worn and torn some of its pages actually torn up.  He reached into the pen slowly and picked up the book.  It shook madly trying to break loose of Keith but her held hold of it tightly.  It snapped its cover trying to bite him but Keith ran a finger along its spine in an attempt to try and calm it down.  It shuddered and fell limp in his hand. 

          After buying his books Keith was taken to Olivander's Wand Shop.  Aunt Shari was greeted with a hug by a very old man with thinning white hair.  He smiled at Keith as Keith looked around the store.  As small as it was it seemed to old over a million different wands in small boxes stacked to the ceiling.  Keith was afraid that they might fall on top of him.  

          "So this is your nephew Shari," Mr. Olivander said as he walked up to him, "yes I can feel something about this boy.  A lot of talent in him.  Come over here Keith."  Mr. Olivander led Keith to the back of the store were there were several black boxes.  He pulled out one box near the top of the pile.  "Here we are.  12 inches redwood with a phoenix hair inside, excellent for transfiguration."  Keith took the long red wand from Mr. Olivander, feeling incredible warmth from it.  He waved it around and a stream of beautiful red light flew from its point.  Aunt Shari and Mr. Olivander both lit up with happiness.

          "I love when I get it right on the first try," Olivander said happily.  

         It was nearly sunset when Keith and Aunt Shari finished shopping.  He had so much stuff to carry that his Aunt Shari decided to simply rent two rooms inside the Leaky Cauldron for the night.  Keith spent the night reading through his spell books until his candle began to dim.  Giving up he laid his book by the bedside mirror.

          "It nice to see you have such an interest in studying."  Came a voice from somewhere in the room.

          "Who said that?"  Keith asked, spinning on the spot to try and find the source of the voice.  The Monster Book leapt up and snapped its cover at the mirror.

          "I'm right here dear."  Keith turned in the direction of the sound to look at himself in the mirror.

          "Are you in the mirror?"

          "I am the mirror dear."  Keith backed away and slumped onto his bed.

          "I take it you are muggle born?"  The mirror asked.

          "Muggle?"

          "A non-magic person dear."  Keith nodded silently.  "Well then, let me be the first to welcome you to the wizarding world."


	3. Four Girls, Four Houses

CHAPTER 3

FOUR GIRLS, FOUR HOUSES

         Keith woke up early the next morning to find his Monster Book trying to bite the mirror.  He pulled it away and petted it until it finally went to sleep.  After apologizing to the mirror, Keith went downstairs to a relatively empty Leaky Cauldron.  His Aunt Shari was talking to the bar keep and Keith could feel the same warmth coming from her that he felt when they first got there.  He sighed and headed over to her.  She smiled at him as he came to her.

          "Ready to head home for the next two days?" She asked.  She gave him a new trunk that she had bought him, he took it upstairs and when he was done packing, he noticed that he had managed to fit four trunks worth of luggage into the trunk and still had a lot of space to go.  Deciding not to question exactly how it worked Keith said goodbye to his mirror and headed toward the door back to the muggle world.  

          The ride back home was very uneventful next to the day in Diagon Alley.  After seeing all of the books, and items that the wizarding world had Keith couldn't imagine exactly what Hogwartz would be like.  But he knew it would be spectacular.

          When he got home his mother wanted to look at all of his new equipment and his father wanted to read all of his books.  Keith gave them everything but his charm book "Charms and Hexes for beginners by Professor Flitwick."  He took it upstairs to his room and pulled out the shattered remains of his ocarina.  He pulled out his wand feeling the warmth spread through him again.  He flipped through the book until he found exactly what he wanted.  Swishing he wand over his head he pointed at the shattered ocarina and spoke.

          "Occulus Repairo."

          Instantly the shards of his ocarina bonded together and his ocarina looked better than ever.  Smiling Keith scooped up his ocarina and blew a note into it.  The sound was as crisp and clear as ever.  He smiled and put his ocarina pocket.  Closing his book and putting he wand in his drawer, Keith headed back down stairs only to hear the sound of screaming from the kitchen.  He ran down the remaining stairs in time to see his Monster book come scuttling out of the kitchen.  Not waiting to find out what had happened Keith dove at his book, snatched it up, and stroked its bridge.  It fell flat instantly.  

          His mother come running out looking at the book in shock, a stain of spilt tea on her shirt, followed by his father who had a large bruise forming on his nose from where the book had apparently bit him.  "Keith," his mother asked looking sadly at the stain on her shirt, "why did you buy that book? First years don't even take that class."  Keith explained to her about seeing the book in the pen looking so ragged and torn.  His mother looked at him for a second, smiled and then took his father back into the kitchen to talk.  Keith took the Monster book upstairs and laid it on his bed.  It scuttled around on the bed for a while and then fell asleep on his pillow.  

          When the day finally came to leave for Hogwartz, Keith's Aunt Shari woke him up with a playful but sharp kick to his side.  He fell out of his bed to the sound of her voice telling him to hurry up or he would miss the train.  Waking up and still feeling groggy, Keith got his wand and ocarina.  Then, after spending twenty minutes leering his Monster book into his trunk, Keith went downstairs for his last breakfast at home.  His mother had made him a huge breakfast that he wasn't able to finish half of.  After he tried to force himself to eat it and failed, his Aunt Shari grabbed his trunk and threw it into the back of a cab waiting outside.  

          In the cab Aunt Shari gave Keith's his train ticket.  He glanced at it; "Hogwartz Express, Platform 9¾."  Platform 9¾?  He handed the ticket to his Aunt and pointed out the mistake when she simply smiled and told him to wait and see.  

          When they finally reached King's Cross Station, they only had ten minutes for when the train was suppose to leave.  Hurrying Aunt Shari led Keith to the brick barrier between Platform 9 and Platform 10.  She slowly led Keith around it until she quite suddenly threw Keith into it.  He closed his eyes sure he would slam into it when he suddenly flew right through it and when he opened his eyes he was standing on another platform.  He looked at the incredibly long steam engine with the golden letter:  Hogwartz Express written across it.  He turned to see a large brick wall behind him.  Suddenly his Aunt appeared behind him with his trunk.  Not giving him anytime to say anything she threw him onto the train and loaded his trunk into the back.  She kissed him goodbye, looked around at all the middle-aged men around her, smiled, and as the train left the station Keith began to feel a familiar warmth radiating from his Aunt again.

          The trip to Hogwartz was quiet for a little while, Keith had somehow managed to find a compartment to himself but was feeling far too nervous to go and talk to any of the other first years that were running around the train.  He was just wishing he had at least had his Monster Book to keep him company when there was a knock on his open compartment door.  Keith looked over to see a short, pretty girl with freckles and brownish-red hair peeking in.

          "Mind if I sit in here," she asked politely, "all the other compartments are full?"  

          "Uh...sure," Keith said motioning to the seat across from him.  The girl walked in wearing her school robes already and a very energetic, friendly face.  She shook his hand as she sat down.

          "I'm Katie," she said smiling, "Katie Weakly."

          "I'm Keith Smiths."  She sat down and right away Keith could tell she was a very talkative person.  She was very kind and clearly born and raised as a witch.  She understood more than Keith did about the wizarding world and Keith listened to her intently.  She wasn't very good at not talking though, once she started Keith couldn't seem to stop her but he was more of a listener anyway.  She seemed so eager to see how they would be sorted and Keith had to stop her to ask.

          "What do you mean 'sorted'?"  He asked.

          Before Katie could answer the door opened again.  Keith and Katie both glanced over to see another girl looking in.  She seemed to be the exact opposite of Katie.  She was tall, and her skin was fairly pale.  She had short black hair and a very stern look on her face.  

          "Can I sit in here," she asked in a fairly sharp tone, "all these kids walking running around are starting annoy me?"  Without waiting for a response the girl sat down next to Keith.  Katie glanced at her with an air of instant dislike on her face.  "I'm Marsha," the girl said, "Marsha Philman."  Katie was silent for a moment and then began talking again; Marsha was silent and seemed to be slightly bored by Katie's conversation.         

          Nearly an hour into the ride Katie had finally stopped talking for a while.  They were sitting in silence when they heard a voice shouting through the halls.  "WING!  WING GET BACK HERE NOW!"  Keith looked toward the still open door in time to see a small gray falcon fly into the compartment and landed at Keith's feet.  It looked up at him and cawed at him happily.  A girl came running into the room and looked down at the falcon at Keith's feet.  She was about the same height as Keith with a deep tan, a head of bright blonde hair and baby blue eyes.  She had on very faded jeans that gave the impression of a lot of outdoors work.  There was a very thick brown glove on her right hand.  

          "Wow," she said looking at Wing, "he's never gone near anyone before."  She whistled and Wing flew onto the brown glove.  She glanced up at Keith and smiled brightly at him.  "I'm Trisha Brown.  Nice to meet you."  She turned and headed out.

          "She could've said hello to us."  Marsha said, sounding annoyed.

          When the train finally arrived Keith had to fight his way threw a large crowd of students to get out.  He almost instantly lost sight of Katie and Marsha and was thrown to the ground as someone slammed into him.  He looked up to see a short black girl with long black hair tied into a ponytail.  She wore a yellow blouse with a picture of a butterfly on it.  "I'm...I'm sorry."  She gasped, and before Keith could say anything, she had disappeared into the crowd again.  

          Keith walked off the train into a huge turret of students who practically shoved him into a long line leading toward a long line of boats in a large lake.  He heard a voice saying "two to a boat," but he couldn't see who said it.  He sat down in a boat and was quickly joined by Marsha.  Before he could wonder where they were going the boat began to move on its own.  Keith could see something off in the distance that he quickly recognized as an incredibly large castle.  He could see light coming from several windows in incredibly large towers and what looked like some type of arena or stadium in a large grassy field near a large forest.  The boats pulled into an incredible tunnel under the castle and Keith saw a huge man with a head of shaggy gray hair and a long shaggy gray beard ahead of him.  He led them up a long flight of stairs up to the main entrance of the castle.  

          Keith looked amazed at the size of the castle.  It was so huge that all of the first years around him fit inside it perfectly; there was a huge marble staircase to the side and a beautiful line of paintings all around it.  Keith looked up at the painting and his jaw dropped to see that they were all waving down at him.  He was about to wave back when he heard the sound of someone approaching.  

          Keith turned to see a beautiful Asian woman standing at the head of the stairs.  She had on a long black robe with a strange blue badge on it and a pointed wizards hat.  "Gather around please," she said motioning for all the first years to surround her, "gather around.  Welcome to Hogwartz everyone.  I am Professor Cho Chang.  Now in a minute you are going to be sorted and then you can join your classmates.  However, I want to tell you all about the House Cup first.  During your school year any good deeds will earn you points but any rule breaking will make you lose points.  At the end of the year we award the house with the most points the house cup.  Now before please follow me."

          Professor Chang led them into the main hall.  It was full of students all sitting on four very long tables.  Professor Chang led them toward another long table at the back of the room that seemed to be for the faculty.  In front of the faculty table was a very worn stool and an even more worn looking wizard's hat.  It had a very tattered section of it that look almost like a mouth.  Next to it was another young female teacher that looked similar to Katie, except she had fiery red hair and her freckles were more personified.  She glanced at them all with a very shy friendly smile.  

          "This is Professor Ginny Weasly," Chang said as she unrolled a very long list, "when I call your name, sit down, she will place the sorting hat on you head, and you will be sorted."  At those words the hat actually began to move, the cut in it began to shift and it actually began to sing:

_Dear First Years from far and wide,_

_Do not look so scared._

_I the sorting hat am here,_

_To ease all of your cares._

_So relax and sit here on this stool_

_And try me on for size_

_I'll tell you were your suppose to go,_

_For this chapter of your life._

_Are you perhaps a Gryffindor,_

_Brave, courageous, and true,_

_Fearless strong and proud they are_

_Is that the path for you?_

_Perhaps you belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Friendly and loyal._

_Together through thick and thin,_

_Through all joys and toils._

_Maybe in Ravenclaw,_

_The talented and the wise._

_Exploring for more knowledge,_

_Throughout their lives._

_Or are you meant for Slytherin,_

_The determined and set._

_Those will do anything,_

_To achieve their end._

_So be a peace as you sit,_

_And be brave young child._

_I guarantee that you time here,_

_Will be happy, fun and wild._

The hat stopped singing and the entire hall busted into applause.  When the applause died Professor Chang read the list.  

          "Katie Weasly."

          Katie pushed her way through the crowd and smiled at Keith as she saw him.  Then she sat on the stole as Professor Weasly put the hat on her head.

          "Another Weasly," the hat said aloud, "no need to question it.  GRYFFINDOR!"  The hall exploded into applause as Katie took of the hand and skipped over to the Gryffindor table.  

          "Trisha Brown."

          Trisha made her way to the stool and smiled at Keith too.  The hat went onto her head and fit her fairly well.  It was silent for a few moment, then suddenly..."RAVENCLAW!"  Trisha smiled and ran over to the cheering Ravenclaw table.  

          "Lucy Jordan."

          Keith saw the small, shy, black girl he had slammed into on the train take her seat.  She was blushing and looked incredibly nervous as the hat went over her head and fell over her eyes.  It only took about three seconds for the hat to decide.  "HUFFLEPUFF!"  Lucy took of the hat and jogged over to the Hufflepuff table where she quickly sat down.

          "Marsha Philman."

          Marsha pushed her way to the stool.  The hat was on her head for a very long time.  For a moment it actually sounded like it might scream gryffindor but then it sounded out "SLYTHERIN!"  Marsha shrugged and walked over to the Slytherin table, seemingly ignoring the applause from the Slytherin table.  

          Keith looked around to see that all four of the girls he had met were all scattered into four different houses.  He also noticed that all four of them, even Lucy who had only known him few seconds, seemed focused on him.

          "Keith Smiths."

          Keith made his way through the crowd and sat on the stool, which wobbled a little under his weight.  The hat fit onto him comfortably and he could hear a voice in his head.  "Hmm.  Rare, very rare, such pure talent.  A desire to learn, a desire to love.  Well, this isn't very difficult."  The hat screamed out:  "RAVENCLAW!"  He went over to the Ravenclaw table and sat next to Trisha who seemed very pleased with herself.  


	4. The Special Schedule

CHAPTER 4

THE SPECIAL SCHEDULE 

Keith took the open seat next to Trisha who smiled at him warmly. He could feel his face getting a little warm but his attention was suddenly turned toward the faculty desk. He looked up at the desk as a woman with curly brown hair stood up. Since she was at the very center of the table Keith was certain that she must be the Head Mistress, the one who had sent him his acceptance letter, Hermoine Granger. 

Head Mistress Granger tapped on her goblet and the entire hall became silent. She smiled over the crowd of students showing a mouth full of perfect teeth. "Greetings, and welcome to Hogwartz," she said in a warm pleasant voice, "before I let you all get accustomed to your surrounding and let the first years see Hogwartz more extensively, I have a few start of term announcements." She cleared her throat and spoke loudly to make sure all of the announcements were heard. "First, the dark forest is OFF LIMITS to all students! This is important for the first years to learn, and for our other students to remember. Secondly, we have had far too many fights among the houses in the last three years over the house cup, therefore and wizards caught fighting on campus in anything other than officials wizard's duels will lose 100 points for their house." The entire audience murmured in surprise at this but nobody seemed to protest. "Those are all of my announcements, just remember to study hard and keep your eyes focused on your school work." The entire faculty table seemed to roll their eyes, "Now let the feast begin." 

Granger clapped her hands and the tables were instantly covered in platters of the most amazing looking food that Keith had ever seen. He saw roasted chicken, hams, all kinds of drinks, and many types of dishes he had never heard of. As he began to sample everything Trisha started to ask him questions about himself. He answered her questions a bit uneasily at first; he wasn't use to girls showing any interest in him. Particularly not cute girls like Trisha. She told him about herself a bit and Keith learned quickly that she was almost as talkative as Katie was. 

"My family raise all kinds of magical birds," she said as she sipped on her goblet of pumpkin juice, "we have all kinds of owls, and hawks, and even a phoenix. My parent's were so amazed when the heard I got in, I really don't do much magic, but I have a lot of interest in magical animals and I heard that the Care of Magical Creatures teacher here is one of the best in the world." 

Keith listened to her and had to admit that he was eager to learn about magical animals himself. He had flipped through his monster book, whenever it wasn't trying to bite somebody, and he had to admit that some of these creatures were very interesting. He wondered if magical creatures would love him as much as he was by the dogs, cats, and birds in his neighborhood. 

Just as Trisha was about to start in on what was looking to be another long conversation, Katie appeared and sat down on the opposite side of Keith. Trisha's expression dropped from pleasant to down right furious. "What are you doing here," she said a little sharper than Keith had expected, "this is the Ravenclaw table."

"So?" Katie said with a fake smile, "That doesn't mean that I can't get to know the students at the other tables." She began talking to Keith not paying any mind to Trisha, and clearly not interested in getting to know anyone else at the table. Keith was beginning to get a little nervous. Why were these two so interest in him? Was it because he's a Veela? Was he using his powers again and not realizing it? Was that the reason? Keith let his mind wander over these worries, not even listening to Katie and Trisha as they both fought for his attention and eventually the banquet was over and it was time to go to bed. Katie left the table with a smile to Keith and a somewhat viscous stare at Trisha before running back to the Gryffindor crowd. Keith and Trisha were lead with the two other first years into one of the many towers. Professor Chang motioned for them all to follow her up a very, very, very long spiral staircase that seemed to go up forever. 

After what seemed like an eternity, the stairs ended and all of the first years stopped at the top of the stairs breathing heavy. Professor Chang smiled at them; she was breathing a little heavier than usual but not much. "Don't worry you'll get use to it." She said as she looked to her right. Keith followed her gaze to see the wall had four large statues of Raven lined up along it. She walked over the third one from the stairs and the statue actually looked up at her.

"Password." The statue said, it body made a very loud creaking noise as it moved its large stone mouth. 

"Silver feather." Professor Chang said simply. Slowly that wall lowered into the floor to reveal a large passageway. Professor Chang entered and the first years slowly followed her in. Keith's eyes widened at the sight of the common room he was going to be using for most of the year. The entire room was decorated in various shades of blue and violet and seemed to have a very cool, serene sense to its surroundings. There were three round tables on one side of the room and several large comfortable chairs near a large fireplace. Near the fireplace Keith noticed what looked like a staircase leading even higher up. Keith groaned to himself at this sight.

"Not more stairs," he thought to himself. Professor Chang smiled to them and pointed to the staircase.

"Now," she said, "girls dorms are upstairs to the right, and the boys are to the left. All you belongings are already up there. Get some sleep, I'm willing to bet that you'll all have a big day tomorrow." With that Professor Chang left the room and the wall replaced itself behind her. After a few moments of silently looking around the first years made their way up the stairs. It was as he was heading up that Keith noticed he was the only boy in the group of first years. As all of the girls turned right at the top of the stairs Trisha waved goodbye and Keith made his left turn. He walked through a small hall of doors until he came to a room with a gold sign saying "1st Years." He pulled the door open and entered into a large room with five four poster beds inside it. Since he was in the room by himself he choose the bed right next to the window. As he looked out of the window he saw the one primary benefit to being in such a high tower. The view of the grounds was absolutely magnificent from this high up and as he looked over the sky he felt a sense of peace that made it very easy to drift off to sleep.

Keith woke up earlier than usual the next morning. He looked over the large forest in the distance and saw that it was covered in a thick lair of fog. He jogged downstairs and heard some type of scuttling sound behind him. He turned around and looked down to see his monster book following behind him. Not able to think of any reason to make it stay he let it follow him down the stairs. While he didn't have any idea about the layout of the castle, his sense of direction had always been good and he was able to find the Great Hall easily by remembering the route they took to get to their common room. He found it and his book shuffled between to desk. Keith sat down at the table wondering if there was set time for breakfast. His thought was immediately answered when a bowl of porridge appeared in front of him. He smiled and began eating when he saw Professor Chang enter the room, as she did his monster book shuffled up to her and brushed against her leg. She looked down at it and picked it up. It rested lightly in her hand and she looked up and noticed Keith. She walked over to him, looking somewhat confused. 

"Keith," she said casually as she held up the book, "is this yours?" Keith nodded and she seemed confused. "But this book isn't on your list, 1st years don't take Care of Magical Creatures." Keith swallowed his porridge and explained to her why he had bought the book. Just like his mother had, she smiled and laid the book next to him. "Are you fond of animals Keith?" Professor Chang sat down next to him and a bowl of porridge appeared in front of her. The casual way she talked to him reminded Keith of his Aunt Shari. 

"I'm not entirely sure," he said, "I just seem to be connected to them. Dogs and cats always follow me everywhere, and I seem to attract all kind of birds." Professor Chang looked at him thoughtfully and then stood up. 

"Keith," she said, "the schedules haven't been finished yet, I want you to come with me for a second." Keith looked confused but did as she said. He picked up his monster book and followed Professor Chang out of the great hall. She led him through the main entrance out onto the beautiful grassy fields of the area. Keith stopped and wondered what she was doing. She turned and simply stared at Keith. What was going on? Did she expect him to do something? 

Keith was about to open his mouth to ask when a single blue bird landed on his head. Keith glanced up in time to see another blue bird land on his head. Slowly but steadily all kinds of birds came out of the forest ward him until he was surrounded by and seemingly endless flock of birds that just seemed to fly over him. Chang smiled and began waving away all of the birds. 

"Very interesting," she said, "Keith I think were going to have to give you a special schedule." 

"A special schedule?" he asked. 

"You seem to naturally draw animals toward you," she said, still trying to wave away some of the birds, "there are a lot of dangerous creatures that may be drawn to you too. I think it best you start taking Care of Magical Creatures now instead of waiting till your third year." Keith thought about some of the more dangerous creatures in his monster book; goblins, ogres, trolls, gargoyles, and dragons. He definitely didn't want to have to face any of them.

"I'm going to see what I can do about your schedule," she said, "you can head back to the great hall." 


End file.
